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Why my hospital in central London doesn't give me choice for an omnipod?

Francky

Francky

Member
Messages
11
Location
London
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi every one, I'm a bit upset, basically I do a lot of exercise, my sugar levels get uncontrolled, after been going at the hospital nearly every month, changes of insulin ... Nothing worked, they suggest to me an insulin pump would be the solution. I'm very active, swimming in the morning, gym in the afternoon, sometimes working shifts of 14 hours, but the omnipod is not funded!!! I have phobia to tubbing.The other ones are, how can I get the omnipod?? Is it the hospital? What can I do?? Thanks for your help
 
simple solution is get over your phobia :)
 
Thanks, but is not just the phobia is my life style too, it just would be more convenient and easier for everyone
 
Francky said:
Thanks, but is not just the phobia is my life style too, it just would be more convenient and easier for everyone
Click to expand...
As you do not even notice the tubing, I can not see a problem myself.
You either have to accept what you are offered or don't pump. Many commissioning groups bulk buy so have a good discount on the pumps and consumables. The Pod costs more than double the amount to fund over a 4 year period compared to tubed pumps.
 
Its a shame it isn't funded, not sure what you can do if your determined to go for the Omnipod, perhaps changing hospitals (if practical) might be the answer if other hospitals offer the Omnipd pump.
 
Thanks everyone for your opinions!!! I'm glad you are giving me some support!! I'm at St guy's
 
Hi guys, I asked for a referral to the royal free, anyone with the omnipod at royal free?
 
I have a feeling that Kensington might favour patch pumps. Omnipod hss a patch pump.

Re tubed pump. The tube is very narrow and tends to hang in a coil so can easily tuck inside trousers, jeans. The pump can go in a pocket and the tube can be fed through a slit in the mid top part of a pocket and then clipped on to the infusion set. This makes the pump more or less invisable until it is taken out of the pocket.
 
Thanks Tony!!! Fingers crossed!! I do a li of exercise and that why my bg insulin can't cope!!! Are u using a pump guys?
 
Francky said:
Thanks everyone for your opinions!!! I'm glad you are giving me some support!! I'm at St guy's
Click to expand...

Never heard of "St guy's" hospital in London. Guy's Hopsital, yes. St Thomas Hopsital, yes - they're in the same NHS Foundation Trust. There's also UCLH [University College London Hospital] group, based near Euston railway station, which has a diabetes unit, but I don't know anything about its insulin pump policy - insulin pumps hadn't been invented when I worked there in late 1980s, and I didn't get diabetes until mid 1990s, and didn't need any hospital care in the year I spent studying at Imperial College in 1997/8. Never lived in London since, but do know locations of Haematology departments from research work, and A&E departments from being medical dispatcher at Olympic Park in 2012.

Just one idea that isn't often tried before pumps, but has served me well for very odd work patterns, including working on and competing in all night mountain races, adventure races lasting up to 5 days and nights etc, is using Humalin I as basal insulin, twice in every 24 hours.
 
Is it a mix of long acting or short acting insulin? The problem with this insulin is that you need to have a diet, when I said diet is to eat at certain time and eat same amount of carbs each time isn't it? With my life style I don't think it would be possible, but it very interesting, hiw did it work with the carbs?
 
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